Filling machine valve



NOV. 24, 1953 w H, BULCAQ 2,660,359

FILLING MACHINE VALVE Filed March 1, 1952 I l Hiil'H I l 1 \HH, L I I T4| ug;

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Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FILLING MACHINE VALVEWilbur H. Bulcao, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Horix ManufacturingCompany, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationMarch 1, 1952, Serial No. 274,463

5 Claims.

This invention relates to filling machine valves, and more particularlyto those used in machines for filling wide-mouth containers at highspeed.

Container filling machines are well known in which containers arecarried on supports that lift them up to valves around the bottom of arotating tank. It generally is desirable to operate these machines asfast as possible, some of them filling several hundred containers permin- Machines that fill wide-mouth containers are capable of operatingthis fast, except that when they fill to a high filling height,particularly with hot products, difficulty is experienced in separatingthe containers from the rubber seals or gaskets which their upper endsengage. This is due to the formation of a partial vacuum in thecontainers which causes them to break away with a jerky motion or, insome cases, even makes it necessary to exert pressure on the outside ofthe containers to break them away from the gaskets. This interferes withthe smooth operation of the machine and also causes the containers tospill liquid. If the containers are made of glass, it may even result intheir breakage.

To overcome this difficulty, the gaskets have been formed in differentways intended to break the vacuum as soon as the container supportsstart to descend. For example, the sealing surfaces of the gaskets havebeen provided with radial ribs that press the containers away from thesealing surfaces as soon as the pressure of the containers against themis reduced by the descending supports. However, in such cases thecontainer lips soon wear through the ribs and make them ineffective. I I

It is among the objects of this invention to 7 provide a high speedfilling machine valve from which wide-mouth containers will quicklyseparate as soon as their supports start to descend,

' and which includes a sealing gasket that may be made of uniformthickness throughout, with no projections or openings in its sealingsurface.

In accordance with this invention, a resilient gasket surrounds thelower end of the vertical j filling tube of a filling machine valve andhas a lower sealing surface that is adapted to be engaged by the lip ofan empty container which is raised up against it by the containersupport. Means is provided above the gasket for constantly pushing onlya portion of it downward. Consequently, when the container supportstarts to descend after the container has been filled, this downwardlyurged portion of the gasket will push the container away from some ofthe sealing surface of the gasket andthereby break any vacuum knownmanner.

2 in the container which otherwise might hold the container against thegasket.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of my fillingvalve, with parts shown in section and with a container lip touchingonly the downwardly pressed portion of the sealing gasket; Fig. 2 is asimilar view, but with the valve opened by the raised container; andFig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1.

The valve illustrated is only one of several that may be screwed into aring of openings in the bottom of the rotating tank of a conventionalautomatic filling machine. This valve has a vertical filling tube I thatis threaded at its upper end for screwing into the bottom of such atank. The lower end of the tube is provided at one side with a liquidoutlet 2. The opposite side of the tube is provided with an air vent 3that communicates with the lower end of a vent tube 4 extending upthrough the filling tube to a point above the level of the liquid in thetank in a well Screwed onto the closed lower end of the filling tube isa valve seal 6 that projects radially from the tube for a shortdistance. The valve is normally closed by a sleeve 1 which is slidablymounted on the tube. The lower end of the sleeve is pressed against theseal 6 by means of a coil spring 8 that encircles the upper portion ofthe filling tube.

The valve sleeve has a threaded portion, on which a supporting member orcollar I0 is screwed. The bottom of the collar is provided with acircular recess I I, and a resilient gasket 12 of rubber.

or the like that tightly encircles the sleeve is confined in thisrecess. The lower surface of this gasket forms a sealing surface whichis engaged by the lip of an empty wide-mouth container l3 every timesuch a container is raised by the support It! on which it rests. As iswell known in this art, the container is raised against the gasket theseal 6 on the lower end of the filling tube to close the valve. Furtherdownward movement of the support is supposed to lower the filledcontainer away from sealing gasket I2, but heretofore the containeroften has not separated from such a smooth surface gasket or it hasstayed sealing gasket.

against it for a moment after it should have separated. This is due to apartial vacuum being formed in the container, especially when themachine is operated at high speed or the filling material is hot.

It is a feature of this invention that the container is pushed down awayfrom most of the sealing ggasket -12 after the :container .has beenfilled, athereby breaking any :vacuum .thattmight hold it against thegasket. This is accomplished by providing means for always pressing asmall portion of the gasket downward, so that the moment the containersupport startsto-descend, the container will bepushediricwnwardxwithlits support until some of its ilipsseparates .from(the There is then nothing ZtOZ'hOld the container against the gasket,downward pressure on the sealing gasket is'producefbyn pressure memberlocated between theatopeofithe gasket and the upper wall of the collarrecess l I. lI'acompensatefior .wear onLthe gasketandto. permit variabledownwardpressureifor varioussize 1 containers,.it iszdesirabletoexertadjustableipresisure downward on .the ,pressure membenusuh'as byes.coilrspring. This canwbe. done conveniently.

sbyiorming the pressure .memberasaihead 3E6 ..on .the .lower end :01: ,astem A] that extends lloosely eupithrough a vertical passage .IBthroughaLlateral eenlargement :incdllar .Lll. .A-coilspring .l9 en-= ecircles.the stem .and .is compressed between its head and a shoulder 2|:near'the upper-end'diethe passage. The upper end -of the .stem extends.above ,the collar-and .is threaded and provided -.with.-.lock nuts 22-which.can .be :screwed .up .or down theestem-to control the distancethat .itcan belmoved downward :bythe spring. ;It.-also-.is.de-

,llEig. 1. .As isalsors'howninlthat figuraltheupper .e'dgenrilip.o'fIthecontainerlfirst engageslthe small portion ofthesealinggasketthatispressed downward by ,pressure head TB. Continuedupward movement of "the .container presses its entire lip up "into the.sealing .gasket, asv shown;in1 Flig.J2, .and thereby .pus'hes thepressure head and .stem lt'upwar'din cdllar passage 18. Theitop of thecontainer then is completely sealedhy 'thega'sket. .As the containercontinues '.to .move upward,.it opens the valve .asl has been explainedpreviously so that the eontainer-ean be filled with the materiaL'fiowingvilownithrough.i'illing tube and out of outlet22. As soonastheicontainerislfilleld the support J4 starts 'toidescend. Thisreduces the pressure of the container .agains't gasket 12, whereupon thedownward pressure .d'flhead 16 against-the top of .Lthegasket pressesthe underly- .'ing ,portion of the, gasket downward in collar-10 andthereby .holds the container against its .sup- ,port, .even. though.a;partial .vacuumfinfthe eon- .ftainer. mayJa'ttempt fto 'holdJthecontainer 111 against -the gasket. The downwardly mdving portion er thegasket compels the container to follow its support downward .until theopposite side .0: the container separates lirom Ltheygasket. 'brea'ks.any vacuum Lthat may -.hav.e been present so that the containerthereafter will Hescend with the support "by gravity. I

'Due to Ithe .fact that the sealingsurface .of gasket '12 originally'islflat, there are no vacuum- .breakingprojections .tolbe cut or wornaway by the upper edges of the containers. If the downwardly pressedarea of the sealing surface tends to wear more rapidly than theremaining area, the gasket can be rotated a few degrees in the collaroccasionally to bring a new area of the sealing surface beneath thepressure head.

According to the provisions of the patent staetutes l have explained theguinciple of my inamntionaandihave illustratediandidescribed what I nowconsider to represent its best embodiment. .L'However, I desire to haveit understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the in-"venti'on'may be practiced otherwise than as sspeciflcallysillustratedand described.

L-Irlaim:

.rljln'samighcspeed filling machine, the combination with .a verticallymovable container supp'ortfof'avalve comprising a vertical filling tube,.alresil-ieht gasket surrounding the lower end of said tube and having alower sealing surface aadapted .toabe engagedby vthe lip .of an emptycontainer-raised upagainsfiitiby.saidsupport, and -.means-above the:gasket constantly. pushing only a ,portion 70f the. gasket downwardto'i'd'form its .r-sealing surface, said means .exerting .sufiicientdownward 1pressure .on said gportioneto .causeLitto {push thercontainerstraightdown awayfrorrrsome ct-said sealing surface as .the container-:support Jmoves down away. from.--the gasket-after thecontamer ..-hasrbeen filled, whereby to -admit air abetween=the gasket=andicontainer sothat the container will separate ifromwthe ,gasket and remain seated on.-the descending support.

L2. in -:a high speed filling machine, vthe (combination with=averticallymovablecontaineresup- -:por-t.of =13 valve comprising avertical filling -tube,

a resilient :gasket surrounding .the lower -.endof said tube and havingearlower sealing surface .adapted to 'be engaged .by \the lip 10fan-..en1pty container :raised .up against it by-said support, asupporting :member 1 engaging :most :of the topof :thergasket, and .apressure member-betweensaid supportinglmember and a portion of the top.of the gasket for pressing the underlying ,portion of the gasketdownward, :said pressure member .exerting suflicient :forceon saidunderlying-por- -tion -to cause .it :to ,push the container .straightdown away from' somesof saidesealing surface as the container support:moves down away zfrom 'the gasket after :the :container has beenfilled, wherebytto'admit air-betweemthegasket and conitainer so that thecontainer will separate from the ,gasket and remain seatedeon.thedescending support.

3. In a high speed filling .machine, the-room- :bination with:a-vertically movable-container 'sup- ,portoha valvecomprisingeavertical filling tube, a resilient -;gasket:=surroundin1g.:the lower *end of .saidtube and having :a .lower sealing surfaceadapted to beenga-ged bythe lip open-empty container raisedup againstitifby said-.support,a,suP- portingsmember engaging-muster the top ofthe gasket, a pressure-member between saidsupporting ,member and aportion of :the top tor the gasket, andi'aspring pressing-flown on:said;pres- .sure .member ;to ,push. the underlying portionaof .thevgasket downward, said spring Ibeing strong enough .to-cause saidunderlying portion .to push the container straight downawayfrom some ofsaid sealing surface as the container rsupport :moves down away. from.the gasket after the container :has been filled, whereby to admit airbe- ,tween the .gasketiand container so that the .con- .tainer will.separate .from .the gasket and remain seated on the. descending support.

4. In a high speed filling machine, the combination with'a verticallymovable container support, of a valve comprising a vertical fillingtube, a resilient gasket surrounding the lower end of said tube andhaving a lower sealing surface adapted. to be engaged by the lip of anempty container raised up against it by said support, a supportingmember engaging most of the top of the gasket, said member beingprovided at one side with a vertical passage through it, a stemvertically movable in said passage, a head on the lower end of the stemengaging the top of said gasket, and a coil spring surrounding said stemand pressing it and the head downward to depress a portion of saidsealing surface, said spring being strong enough to cause said portionof the sealing surface to push the container straight down away from therest of said sealing surface as the container support moves down awayfrom the gasket after the container has been filled, whereby to admitair between the gasket and container so that the container will separatefrom the gasket and remain seated on the descending support.

5. In a high speed filling machine, the combination with a verticallymovable container support, of a valve comprising a vertical fillingtube, a sleeve slidable vertically on the tube, an annular membersurrounding the sleeve and rigidly mounted thereon, a resilient gasketsurrounding the lower end of said sleeve in engagement therewith andwith said member, the gasket having a lower sealing surface adapted tobe engaged by the lip of an empty container raised up against it by saidsupport, said annular member being provided at one side of the sleevewith a vertical passage, a stem vertically movable in said passage, ahead on the lower end of the stem engaging the top of said gasket, acoil spring surrounding said stem'and pressing it and the head downwardto depress a portion of said sealing surface, and vertically adjustablemeans on the stem above the spring for controlling the distance the headcan move downward, the spring being compressed sufiiciently to causesaid portion of the sealing surface to push the container straight downaway from the rest of said sealing surface as the container supportmoves down away from the gasket after the container has been filled,whereby to admit air between the gasket and container so that thecontainer will separate from the gasket and remain seated on thedescending support. 7

WILBUR H. BULCAO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 665,893 Field Jan. 15, 1901 2,081,158 Tamminga et al. May 25,1937

